Dispenser



Dec. 18, 1928. 1,695,599

E. 1.. MERZOIAN L DISPENSER Filed May 24, 1927 INVENTOR ATTO R N EYPatented Dec. 18,1928.

UNITED STATE'S'PATENT OFFICE;

EDWARD L. MERZOIAN, PORTERVILLE, CALIFORNIA.

DISPENSER.

Application filed May 24, 1927. Serial No. 193,780.

This invention relates to improvements in dispensing devices, andparticularly to .one-

Such squeezing is now done by the fingers and is very frequently notcarried out evenly or thoroughly so that an appreciable proportion ofthe contents of the tube remain therein and are wasted.

The principal object of my invention therefore is to provide a device inwhich such a tube may be placed, dispensing means be ing mounted inconnection with the device for enabling the tube to be then squeezed todispense the contents therefrom in such a manner that the squeezingoperation will be thoroughly carried out and will advance automaticallyfrom one end of the tube toward the other. When the tube is exhaustedthere-- fore it is completely emptied of its contents and none of thesame are wasted. By arranging the device so that it will carry astandard tube of the material to be dispensed, my device may of coursebe used in connection with such products as they are now marketed without changing the same in any way and without necessitating that thetubes be first emptied into the dispensing device.

A further object of the invention is to arrange the dispensing mechanismso that only a predetermined amountor lessof the contents of the tubemay be dispensed at any one operation, thus further avoiding thepossible waste which otherwise might be had...

by the exercise of poor judgment on the part of the operator.

A further object of the invention is to produce a simple and inexpensivedevice and yet one which will be exceedingly effective for the purposefor which it is designed.

These objects I accomplish by means of such structure and relativearrangement of.

' parts as will fully appear by a perusal of the following specificationand claims.

In the drawings similar characters of reference indicate correspondingparts in the several views:

Fig. 1 is a perspective elevation of my improved dispensing device asarranged for connection to a wall or other vertical supporting surface.

Referring now more particularly to the characters of reference on thedrawings, and particularly at present to Figs. 1 to 4, the

numeral 1 denotes a flat vertical plate hav-.

ing ears 2 projecting from the back thereof for attachment to a wall.Hinged onto the bottom edge of the plate 1 as at 3 and proj ecting infront of said plate is a substantially rectangular casing 4. The frontface of this casing centrally of its width is provided on the insidewith a wide groove 5 to form a seat for the adjacent surface of the tube6 containing the material to be dispensed, the opposite side of the tubebearing against the plate 1, when the casing is swung up into placerelative to said plate. The casing is prevented from turning on itshinge by a vertically movable cap 7 mounted on said casing and normallyengaging the upper edge of the plate. The bottom of the casing has acentral depression as at 8 to form a seat for the neck of the tube(which is placed in the casing in The casing is considerably wider thanthe tube and is provided on its opposite sides 11. A roller 12 is fixedon said shaft intermediate its ends, said roller being parallel totheplate 1 and spaced therefrom a distance about equal to the doublethickness of the metal of the tube, which is initially set so that itsusual flattened end 6 is disposed against the plate 1. In placing thetube this end if necessary is shifted or distorted laterally so thatsaid end will longitudinally aline with the adjacent round side portionof the tube. 1 At the ends of the roller the shaft 11 carries gears 13which mesh with racks 14 fixed on the plate 1 and extendingsubstantially from top to bottom thereof. Outwardly of the gears 13other gears 15 are turnably mounted on said shaft, these gears beingengaged by rack bars 16 parallel to'and oppositely disposed tothe racks14. These rack bars are connected at their upper end to a with verticalguides 10 for the ends of a shaft centrally disposed plunger rod 17which pro.- jects through and is slidable in the cap 7 and carries aknob or head 18 on its upper end. A spring 19 about the plunger acts tomaintain the same normally in its raised position, to cause the rollerto be rotated'in a downward direction only with the depression of theplunger and not with the return or up stroke thereof. Pawls or dogs 20are mount ed on the sides of the ears 15 and engage ratchet wheels 21fixed on the shaft 11.

Flexibly connected at one end to the lower end of the bars 16 arebellcranks 22,-the opposite ends of which project through the bot-' tomof the casing and are connected to a cross bar 23 which supports a cap24 for the tube mouth 9. This cap is'so arranged that when the plungeris raised it will be in a position to snugly engage and close the mouth,but when sa1d plunger is lowered the cap will be moved clear of themouth.

In operation when it is desired to install a full tube the cap 7 israised, the casing 4 is swung forwardly and the roller 12; is

raised to the top; the tube is then placed in the casing as previouslydescribed, and t e. casing is closed against-the plate 1, the gears 13reengaging the racks 14. The roller'will then engage the alreadyflattened portion of the tube. When the plunger is then depressed saidroller will be rotated toward the lower end of the casing and tube, andsince it'cannot move away from the tube owing to the guides 10 it willsqueeze the tube and cause the contents to be dispensed from the mouth9. The operating parts are so delated screw ca signed and proportionedthat with a single depression of the plungeronly suflicient materialwill be dispensed from the tube for normal use on an ordinary toothbrush or shaving brush, as the case may be. This tends to prevent waste,as will be evident.

The cap 24 being normally engaged with the tube mouth prevents leakageof the contents if they become soft and tend to run. This automaticallymoving cap also eliminates the need of utilizing the usual handmanipuordinarily provided with such tubes an which is ermanently removedwhen the tube is P mod in the dispensing device. One or more clips 25 tohold tooth brushes or the like are preferably mounted on oppositesidesof the casing.

' In Fig. 5 I have shown'the device as arranged as a portablestructureto besupported on a dressing table or the like, and particu larlyintended to be used for dispensing face cream. In this case the backplate 1 is provided with a rigid depending arm 26 which is mounted onand projects upwardly from a relatively'heavy self-supportlng base 27.The casing 2 overhangs and sets above the base a sufiicient distance toenable the hand tobe readily passed under the casin between the lowerend of the same and the ase.

From the foregoin description it will be readily seen that I aveproduced such a device as substantially fulfills the objects of theinvention as set forth herein.

\Vhile this specification sets forth in'detail the present and preferredconstruction of the device, still in practice 'such deviations from suchdetail may be resorted to as do not form a departure from the spirit ofthe invention, as defined by the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and useful anddesire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A device for dispensing the contents of a flexible tube comprising acasing arranged to removably support the tube, one end of said tubehaving an open mouth, means mounted in the casing for squeezing thetube, operating means for said squeezing means movable in one directionto enable the squeezing means to be moved from the end of the tubeopposite the mouth toward the mouth, a closure for the mouth, and meansbetween the Opelating 'Incans and the closure for causing the latter tobe moved clear of the mouth simultaneously with the movement of theoperating ion tube and bearing thereagainst on the side.

thereof opposite to the member, a gear mounted in connection with theroller, a fixed rack mounted on said member and meshing with the gear, ashaft on which said gear and roller are fixed, guide means for saidshaft to enable the same to move lengthwise of the tube and parallel'tosaid member,a gear turnable on the shaft, pawl and ratchet means betweenthe shaft and the last named gear to enable said shaft to be rotated inone direction only, and a reciprocable rack bar parallel to the fixedrack bar and engaging said last named gear on the side'thereof oppositeto the fixedrack. V

3. A device for dispensing the contents of a flexible tube comprising acasing arranged to' removably support the tube, one end of said tubehaving an open mouth, a member on which the casing is mounted, the tubewhen in place bearing on one side against said member, a roller parallelto said member mounted in the casing transversely of the tube andbearing thereagainst on the side thereof opposite toithe member, a gearmounted in connection with the roller, a fixed rack mounted on saidmember and meshin with the gear, a-shaft on which saidgear and rollerare fixed, guide means for said shaft to enable the same to movelengthwise of the tube and parallel to said member, a gear turnable onthe shaft, pawl and ratchet means between the shaft and the last namedgear to enable said shaft to be rotated in one direction only, areciprocable rack bar parallel to the fixed rack bar squeezing the tubeand causing the contents thereof to issue from the mouth, a closure forthe mouth normally covering the same, and

means between the closure and the squeezing mechanism for moving theclosure clear of the mouth simultaneously with the squeezing of thetube.

5. A device for dispensing the contents of a flexible tube including acasing arranged to removably support a tube one end of which has an openmouth arranged to project from one end of the casing, a mechanism forsqueezing the tube and causing the contents thereof to issue from themouth, said mechanism including a reciprocable member and means wherebymovement of said member in one direction will cause the tube contents tobe dispensed, a closure for the mouth normally covering the same, and anoperating connection between the closure and said member to cause theclosure to be moved clear of the mouth as said member is moved in theone direction.

6. A structure as in claim 5, with spring means acting to move saidmember in the opposite direction to normally maintain the closure in amouth-covering position.

7. A device, for dispensing the contents of a flexible tube including acasing arranged to removably support a tube one end of which has an openmouth arranged to project from one end of the casing, a supportingmember to which the casing is connected, a roller to engage the tube onthe side thereof opposite to said member, guide means between the casingand roller to enable the latter tomove lengthwise of the tube parallelto the member, a gear mounted in connection with the roller, a rackfixed on the member and engaged by the gear, another" gear mounted inconnec tion' with the roller, and a movable rack bar to engage said lastnamed gear, mounted in the casing.

,8. A structure as in claim 7, in which thecasing is hinged transverselyonto the supporting member at one end for swinging movement relative tosaid member, to enable the tube to be placed and removed and to causethe roller-gear to become disengaged from the fixed rack to enable theroller to be. shifted without movement of the movable rackbar.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

EDWARD L. MEBZOIAN.

